Gravity toy



HAW

GRAVITY oy Original Filed June 21. 1926 TILELIR E,

Ill

IIH

IHI

INVENTOR BETTY #0717150}! l/ lwg ATTORNEY Reissued Nov. 22, 1927.

UNITED-J s mr mrrznr cert-cs.

BETTY MOEBISON"HAWK; OFFLORENCE, (301103161X).

I GRAVITY, TOY.

Original No. 1,617,846, datedFebru'ary 15; 1927, S'rialNol' 117,519, med' uiie 21, 1926; Aimncation m reissue'filed March 2', 1927. Serial m. 172,178".

My invention relates to gravity operated toys.

An important object otthe inventionis to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is interesting to Watch in operation and'which is of such simple construction that it may be manufactured numerals" areemployed to designate like parts throughout the same, I F ig'ure 1 is a cent'ralvertical longitudinal section thro'ugh a toy embodying my invention, I Figure 21s a side elevation ofthe delivery trough,

Figure 3 vice, and

Figure 4is a central vertical longitudinal section through the delivery trouglt, SlTOW- ing: the forward ballholding element-in the raised" releasing position and the rear ball in the raised holdingposi holding element tion.

In the drawings, wherein forthe purpose of illustration is shown a preferredembo'diment ofmy invention, the numeral 5desi"g nates a base, havingapost'or standard-t rigidly attaehed to oneend thereof. This standard is vertical and carries a' forwardly inclined tray 7, tapering'j forwardly, and

leading into a forvmrdly inclined delivery trough or chute 8. This trough'orchu'te is approximately U-shaped in cross section,

and has'side walls 9, as shown;

Co-acting withthe delivery trough or chute 8 is-a' feedingdevice, embo'dyin'gia pair 'of levers -10,' which are pivoted to the side walls of the trough" 8, to swingvertically, as shown at-11.' The downward movement of theselevers 10 is li'mited by' station'- arystops 12'. Arranged between the levers 10 near their forward or free ends, is a.- transverseu'pper forward ball-holding elementor'phite 12- rigidly attached thereto,

by any suitable nieans.- This element 12" has wholly automatic in opis a plan View of the entire de its lower end in'the' form or a generally v shaped'edge 13, to conform generally to the" shape of the b'allo'r rollingselemen-t'. Pivotally connected with the forward ends of the levers 10,are curved ro'ds'or links 14, which are slidablymounted within aper tured ears 01' guides l5, rigidly attached'to the side walls 9. The openings of the ears 15 are slightly larger thanthe rods or links" 14, so that they may partakeof slight turn ing m'ovenient therein. The links or. rods 14* extend forwardly beyond the" Chute; 011'? trough 8 and'arc rigidlyattachedto a coin" bined trough extension and'tripelement 16, arranged: beneath the discharge end of the "trough, and extending. forwardly beyond the 1 same, andco'nsti'tuting' in eflect'a' continua- 17 designates a curved rear lower b'a'll"hold-' in'geleinent, inthe' form of'a strip, which is'rigidlysecured toitherear endoftlle corn"- bined trip clementfand extension 16; The rear holding element 17' has its rear end bent upwardly; and operates Within a. longitudinal slot 18. VVhen the" combined trip'el ment and extension is in the forwa-rd'mosfswinging actuatin "trough or elementQO,"

which is generall U-sh'aped incrossisec tion. The actuating trough or element20 "is pivoted betweer'i its ends, as shown at 21 i "to a vertical standard 22", which is rigidly mounted'upon'the base 5; The 'rea'r 'endbf the actuating-elementFortrouh carries a weight 23, which antoinatlcally" swings' the element'- to the raised position, Figure 1, when it'is'rele'asedi The actuating-elemei1 t or trough -20 swingsin a'vertical plane"longitudinallyof the base 5, and Whenit swings upwardly, it' strikes against" the combined" trip element and extensioir-lti; moving, it" The actuating element or rearward'l'y; trough 'is' provided" near andsp'aced from" its free delivery -'end,-' with a partition 24,

prevent the balls fromrolling rearwardii upon'the same;

element or trough 20 is swung forwardly to engages in advance of the forwardmost ballthe lowermost position, so that its freeend enters the rear end of the trough 25, the actuating element or trough 20 will be inclined forwardly.

I preferably arrange a bell 27, upon the base 5 between the standards 22 and 26. This bell is sounded by actuating a reciprocat'ory plunger 28, which is arranged in the path of travel of the actuating element or trough 20.

The operation of the device 15 as follows:

In Figure 1, the delivery trough 8 is shown as containing a number of rolling elements or balls 19 and the toy is ready to be started. The actuating element or trough 20 is in the raised position, resting against the trip element or extension 17, but does not move the same from the forwardmostposltionf Hence the upper holding element 12 19, while the rear holding element 16 is in the lowermost position, and its upper end 1s flush with the bottom of the trough 8. To set the device into action, the actuating element or trough 20 is manually shifted to the lowermost position, and then released. When this element 20 swings upwardly, 1t strikes the combined trip element and extension 16, shifting it rearwardly, as shown n Figure 4. The upper holding element 12 1s elevated and releases the forwardmost ball 19, and prior to the releasing of this forwardmost' ball, the lower holding element has moved upwardly sufficiently so that 1ts free end is arranged in advance of the next ball, thereby preventing the discharge of more than one ball. The released ball travels forwardly from the trough 8, and passes over the combined trip element and extension 16, and enters the upper end of the actuatingelement or trough 20, swinging the same forwardly and downwardly, whereby the ball is delivered into the trough 25. As soon as the actuating element 20 moves forwardly to disengage the combined trip element and extension 16, such extension and trip element, gravitates forwardly and downwardly. When ther'ear holding element 17 descends downwardly, sufiiciently, to permit of the feeding movement of the next ball 19, the upper holding element also descends, and will engage such ball, preventing its discharge from the trough 8, until the combinedtrip element and extension 16 is again shifted rearwardly and upwardly, as described, When the actuating element 20 is swung downwardly, by the ball held therein, the actuating element strikes the plunger 28, thus ringing the bell. A signal is, therefore, given upon each stroke of the actuating element.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a mechanical toy, an inclined trough for the reception of rolling element or elements, a lever pivoted near the trough and extending above the same, a holding element carried by the lever and adapted to be moved into the path of travel of each rolling element, a trip element arranged near the discharge end of the trough, a link connecting the trip element and lever, said-lever and link constituting a part of a toggle joint, means to support the link, a second holding element carried by .the trip element and adapted to be moved into the pathof' travel of each rolling element, and a weighted pivoted actuating element arranged near the trip element to move the same when it swings in one direction, said actuating element having a pocket to receive the released rolling element andto be shifted in an opposite direction by the same.

2. In a mechanical toy, an inclined trough for the reception of rolling element or cle ments and having an opening in its bottom, inclined levers pivoted near the trough and extending above the same, a holding element carried by the levers and adapted to be moved into the path of travel of each rolling element, a combined trip and extension element, arranged adjacent to the discharge end of the trough, inclined links carrying the combined trip and extension element and pivotally connected with the levers, said links and levers constituting portions of toggle joints, guide elements supporting said links, a second holding element mounted upon the combined trip and extension element and adapted to be moved thereby. through the opening in the trough, and a pivoted weighted actuating element arranged near the combined trip and extension element and adapted to swing upwardly and to shift the same rearwardly, said actuating element having a pocket for the reception of the released rolling element to be swung downwardly by the same.-

3. In a gravity toy the combination of an inclined trough for the reception of a. rolling element, a receiving element spaced obliquely downward from said inclined trough and extending forwardly in thesame vertical plane in which said inclined trough extends, an actuating element disposed adjacent said intioned position to its second mentioned position and thus conveys said rolling element from said inclined trough to said receiving element, and means for swinging said actuating element from its second mentioned position to its first mentioned position.

4. In a gravity toy the combination of an inclined trough for the reception of a rolling element, a receiving element spaced obliquely downward from said inclined trough and forwardly in the same vertical plane in which said inclined trough extends,

an actuating element disposed adjacent said inclined trough and said receiving element, said actuating element being mounted to rock into a position to receivesaid rolling element from said inclined trough and to rock into a diflerent position for delivering saidrolling element into said receiving element, said actuating element being so journaled as to swing forwardly from the'lower end of said inclined trough and in the eneral vertical plane of travel of said rol 'ng element relatively to said inclined trou h, said actuating element being controllableay the weight of said rollingelement in mak ing its rocking movement last mentioned, thus conveying said rolling element from said inclined trough to said receiving element, means for rocking said actuating element from its last mentioned position to its first mentioned position, and mechanism controllable by the rocking movement of said actuating element for releasing said rolling element from said inclined trough.

5. In a' gravity toy the combination of an inclined trough for holding a rolling element, a receiving element situated obliquely downward from said inclined trough and extending forwardly therefrom in the same vertical plane in which said inclined trough extends, an actuating element disposed adjacent said inclined trough and said receiving element and journaled to rock in said vertical plane back and forth between said receptacle and said receivin element for the purpose of conveying saidg rolling element from said receptacle and in said vertical plane to said receiving element, and controllable for this purpose by the weight of said rolling element, said actuatin element being so positioned and arrange relatively to other parts that the travel of said rolling body is always in the same general direction from its starting point, reckoning horizontally from said starting point.

6. In a mechanical toy, an inclined trough for the reception of rolling elements, a pair of holding elements to alternately engage with each rolling element for controlling its movement, means to move the holding elements in the same direction, an actuating element to receive the rolling elements from the trough and to operate said means, said actuating element being pivoted to swing in the same vertical plane in which said trough is inclined, and means for receiving the rolling element from the actuating element. Y

7 In a mechanical' toy, an inclined trough for the reception of rolling element or elements, a pair of holding elements to alternately engage with each rolling element for controlling its movement, a weighted actuating element to receive the rolling elements from the trough and thereafter to release them, said actuating element being pivoted to swing in thesame vertical plane in which said trough is inclined, and mechanism connected with said holding element and controllable by movements of said actuating element, to move the holding elements in the same direction.

BETTY MORRISON HAWK. 

